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I’m shopping for toilets myself. I saw the article on the Vacuity and checked suppliers. Lowest price quoted was about twice your figure. Only a few in stock in the greater Philadelphia, PA area.
One question burns in my mind. The toilet uses water draining out of a tank to create vacuum at the top of the trap, helping suck the bowl empty. Have any tests been done to see what grows in the tank after who-knows-what has been sucked in?
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Replies
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I'm shopping for toilets myself. I saw the article on the Vacuity and checked suppliers. Lowest price quoted was about twice your figure. Only a few in stock in the greater Philadelphia, PA area.
One question burns in my mind. The toilet uses water draining out of a tank to create vacuum at the top of the trap, helping suck the bowl empty. Have any tests been done to see what grows in the tank after who-knows-what has been sucked in?
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Bill,
Did the chili get splashed on the underside of the seat when you dumped it in, or during the flush?
Did you think it very noisy?
Thanks...
*b TVMDCGreg,As for suppliers, it is made on the east coast and the $180 +or- is on the west coast from Todd Pipe and Supply (818) 894-4445. It would be worth shipping it from here. As for the vacuum, the inner tank is pressurized from the line which is why it works so much better than a gravity flush.
*b TVMDCMongo,When it was dumped in as in a real life situation (Art imitating life?)As for the noise, it's the same as a regular toilet but with a lot shorter cycle.
*I'm sorry, Bill, I still don't understand. Does the chili get under the toilet seat when you flush? Or were you sloppy when you 'dumped' it in?Also, do you think it would work for houses that use well water? My water pressure is set between 40 and 60 lb. And, a related question, do you think it will stand up to very hard well water? Over time, the holes under the rim around the bowl get clogged up from my hard water.Thanks for all information!
*Ken - we just finished building our house, with water pressure like yours. We have Toto toilets and they're fabulous. Price was about $100 each.
*b TVMDCKen,I think you're missing the point of the allegory: dogs and chili are substitutes. The chili back-splashed up when dumped into the bowl. Fortunately, however, the underside of the seat was back-primed so no dry rot or warping occured.As for the hard water and water pressure question, you should direct your inquiry directly to Briggs at (800) 888-4458. But if your water is that hard, you should really consider a water softener since the calcium in your water will ultimately block your pipes.Final question, if you water source is a well, are you really concerned about water consumption?
*That reminds me, I think someone dumped chili in the toilet at Lowes. Never thought it was for testing purposes, they put some on the seat, bowl, and the floor. Whattl' they think of next?
*Bill, thanks a lot for the information, I appreciate it. I did get the allegorical representation of chili and hot dogs for what usually goes in a toilet bowl, as the signs in high school cafeterias state: You are what you eat! I understand what you meant now.I needed to question twice due to what I'll refer to as some toilet's "burping" before the beginning of the evacuation of the bowl. That may have prompted Mongo's question, but I'm no mind reader, as I continually prove. In some circumstances, this burping splatters onto the bottom of the toilet lid and seat. This is less of a problem with hot dogs than chili! BTW, using chili is a stroke of genius, in my estimation. Great thinking!I will contact Briggs, thanks for their number. So far I have only noticed a calcium buildup in areas where water and air mix, which is not in my pipes (lots of plastic, some copper). As I understand water softners' workings, during the regen cycle they can use up to 100 gals of water? If so, that would be a lot of water to pump out of my well, and a lot to discharge into my septic tank (at one time). I suppose I could plumb a grey water discharge to somewhere, but would still have to pump the 100 gals up. Also, I actually prefer the feeling of hardwater on my skin for showering.To answer your last question, not all wells have the favor of penetrating a large aquifer. Mine penetrates and is completed in fractured limestone (typical of regions with springs and caves, the Ozarks for instance) and water level depends on rain fall. I believe this would be referred to as a perched water table. So, I am concerned about water consumption and water discharge. Hope that clears up my concern for water consumption. Thanks for your help!Tina, thanks for the toto reference. Very much appreciated!
*they struck at the airport too!
*Just put a kohler w/c in my new home, in the only bath that is so far, complete. Went back up the next day to start work on the place, and had the urge to purge. It was with great fear that I wandered in to the new bath, to test drive it , not with chili, not with hot dogs, but with a good old #2. Much to my surprise this litlle $100 toilet didn't even flinch. I am constantly amazed at how well the new low flow toilets work. Since I too am on my own well I didn't really need low flow, but I guess the feds think I do. I think that is all you can buy now.
*>not with chili, not with hot dogs, but with a good old #2.Another brilliant move. Who wooda thunk to test a toilet by flushing screwdrivers ? If you have kids, maybe you should try a doll or a tonka truck next...: )
*Instead of hotdogs, maybe you could use those "burgers" 7-11 sells shaped like hot dogs. They always made me want to throw them right in the toilet and avoid the middleman anyway.
*Ryan-If you ever find yourself in a bind, and have to acutally eat one, you'll find it doesn't take them too long to get there on their own..phew...glad there wasn't traffic!
*Dr. Dean sez that what you flush was what you ate at least 24 hours ago, if you don't have the green apple quick step. Personally, I find the little #1 Phillips easier to digest than the #2.
*I'm sure glad I read this stuffi afterdinner!Rich Beckman
*Why do most discussions like this always seem to wind up about bodily functions?
*WedgeBodily functions,It's the one thing we all have in common.Vince
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Hi
We installed one of these toilets upstairs in a two story house. It worked great, no problems at all, but every time we flushed it sounded like an atomic bomb going off downstairs!
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b TVMDC
Last Fall FHB had an article on the Briggs Vacuity 1.6 gal power-flush toilet (#127, p 114-115). The writer's client test-flushed 4 sausages at a time "over and over without one being left behind". Intrigued by the article, I shared the information with a client of mine. For our test, however, we decided to use chili rather than dogs. Time and again the Vacuity handled the challenge. The only problem was the chili on the underside of the seat but that didn't phase my client. Great toilet. About $180 wholesale.
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b TVMDC
Mine is also on the second floor but no atomic bomb blasts. A gas mask comes in handy, though.